Facility for newborn babies opens at the PRUH

17 November 2022 - Transitional Care Unit opens on World Prematurity Day

A new Transitional Care Unit for newborn babies requiring extra monitoring and support has opened at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH).

The Transitional Care Unit at the PRUH opened this week, on World Prematurity Day (17 November), and has five cots for babies who need extra support immediately after birth.

The PRUH – part of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – already has high dependency and special care baby facilities for newborn babies requiring extra support, or special care.

However, some newborn babies don’t need this level of support, but do need extra monitoring or input from healthcare professionals before going home – and this is what the new Transitional Care Unit is set up to provide.

The new unit is located on the postnatal ward at the PRUH, so if babies do need to be transferred onto the unit, their parents are close nearby and able to continue bonding with their baby.

Rezi Morales, Neonatal Matron at the PRUH (pictured, centre), said:

“Keeping mothers and babies together is a vital part of the care we provide, and the overall bonding process, so the opening of the Transitional Care Unit is a really positive step forward for the neonatal and maternity care we provide.”

Sarah Harris, Head of Nursing for Child Health at the Trust, added:

“The care our teams provide on high dependency and special care at the PRUH is fantastic, but many babies don’t need that level of care and support. The new Transitional Care Unit meets the need of babies who just need that little bit of extra support after they are born – and we are delighted to open it today.”